Call to end American Samaon gift-giving before elections

There is a call in American Samoa to ban the presentation of traditional gifts, or sua, during an election campaign.

The territory's member of the US Congress, Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin, says he hopes the incoming administration will move to prohibit traditional gift giving.

He says American Samoa should follow the example of Samoa where the law bans the practice six months before an election.

"When you're giving 100 suas one person, it's not formality - it sounds like bribery to me in a way to presuade not because of being corteous but because of a way to persuade that person to vote for you."